03/28/2024
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East Bladen’s defense stopped Graham star Daniel Graves just short of the pylon on the decisive 2-point conversion attempt as the Eagles held on for a 35-34 victory Friday night in the opening round for the NCHSAA Class 2-A Play-offs at East Bladen.

Graves had darted ten yards on the Red Devils first snap of the overtime period for the touchdown that trimmed East Bladen’s lead to 35-34. Graham Coach Anthony Timmons then called a time-out and decided to go for the 2-point play and the win.

“We switched defenses during the time-out and surprised them,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “We figured they would go with the same play they had run for the touchdown, and it was something that we had worked on.”

The Eagles strung out the play as Graves tried to go left and forced him to the sideline where he was bumped out of bounds just short of the pylon.

East Bladen had the ball first in overtime, and on third down sophmore Sincere Smith made a diving catch of quarterback Ty McMillian’s pass in the left corner of the end zone to complete a 6-yard touchdown play.

“How about that catch that Skippy (Smith) made,” said Coach Priest. “I told Mike-Mike (Leumichael Smith –Smith’s relative and a former Eagle player) that was one of the best I have seen.”

Senior Jesus Ramos split the uprights with the decisive extra point to put East Bladen ahead 35-28 and set up the big defensive stand. Ramos connected on all 5 of his conversion attempts in the game.

Graves rushed 13 times for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 3 passes for 70 yards and another touchdown. The speedy senior accounted for 236 of Graham’s 325 total yards.

Senior quarterback Jamie Newman, a Wake Forest commit, connected on 11 of 17 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown and ran for two more touchdowns.

“They are the real deal,” said Coach Priest. “ They have got some playmakers.” But nodding toward the end of the field where his players had gathered he continued, “We have got something special down there.”

Junior Kyle Tatum led the ground-and-pound Eagle attack that ran 83 plays to Graham’s 42 plays. Tatum finished with 31 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Nikita Owens ran 24 times for 98 yards and a touchdown, and sophmore fullback Xavia McDowell carried the ball 18 times for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Eagles piled up a 368-194 advantage in rushing yards and a 374-325 edge in total yards.

Graham covered 60 yards in 6 plays on their second possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead. A 46-yard dash by Graves highlighted the drive, and Newman sneaked the final yard for the touchdown. Senior William Martin tacked on the extra point kick.

The Eagles answered with a 55-yard drive in 9 plays. Owens rammed through a couple of tackles near the left sideline for a 17-yard gain and rushed 7 times for 43 yards during the march. Owens scored the TD standing up from a yard out. Ramos booted the conversion to tie the game 7-7 with 43 seconds left in the quarter.

The Red Devils went back on top two plays later as Graves took a pitch-out and scampered 59 yards for a touchdown. Martin’s kick made it 14-7 as the quarter ended.

Tatum barreled 30 yards straight up the middle on the kick-off return to move the Eagles out to their own 45 yardline. East Bladen then ground out a 12-play, 55-yard drive that featured 25 yards from McDowell and 24 more from Tatum. McDowell bolted ten yards up the middle for the touchdown, and Ramos added the tying conversion with 6:34 on the first half clock.

Graves scooped up East Bladen’s squibbed kick-off and raced 39 yards to the Eagle 16 yardline. The Red Devils reached the one yardline, but an illegal procedure penalty, a fumbled snap and a holding penalty backed Graham up to the East 23. Martin’s 40 yard field goal attempt fell just short of the crossbar.

The Eagles used 15 plays to cover 39 yards and ate up most of the remaining first-half clock before being stopped at the Graham 42.

East Bladen opened the second half with a 53-yard, 10-play drive that featured 9 carries for 60 yards by Tatum. The Eagles overcame a holding penalty as Tatum charged around right end and side-stepped a pair of tacklers on a 13-yard touchdown run. Ramos’ kick made it 21-14 East with 7:07 left in the third period.

Tatum’s heroics continued as he made an over-the-shoulder interception of a Newman pass and returned the ball 18 yards to the Eagle 43. East Bladen ran off 9 offensive snaps but a holding penalty stalled the drive.

Newman scrambled 10 yards on the second play of the fourth quarter, then tossed passes of 12 yards to Cameron Thompson and 20 yards to senior Kiesean Charles. Newman plowed into the end zone on another one-yard sneak, and Martin added the conversion to knot the score 21-21 with 10:37 left.

An on-side kick attempt by Graham failed and the Eagles drove 50 yards in 8 plays. McDowell galloped 24 yards for a first down at the Red Devil 23. Four carries for 15 yards by Owens and an offside penalty moved the Eagles to the two, and McDowell bulled into the end zone from there. Another Ramos conversion put East up 28-21 with 6:38 remaining.

The Eagle defense stopped Graham on downs at the Red Devil 36 yardline with 4:50 on the clock. A couple of holding penalties kept East Bladen from running out the clock, but freshman Pierce Melvin’s punt pushed the Red Devils back to their own 11 yardline.

However, the Red Devils flew 89 yards down the field in just 5 plays. Newman scrambled 18 yards to start the march, then fired passes to Graves for gains of 25, 39 and 6 yards – which produced the tying touchdown. Martin’s kick made it 28-28 with 25 seconds left and led to the overtime period heroics.

“We have got the best kids in the state here,” said Coach Priest. “They are starting to buy in to what we are doing, and we are finally getting healthy.”

The Eagles improved to 10-2 with the victory and will travel to play No. 2 Eastern seed Southwest Edgecombe next Friday. Southwest Edgecombe defeated Farmville Central 42-3 in their first round game.

Scoring Summary:
Graham          14   0    0   14   6  – 34
East Bladen     7    7    7    7    7  – 35
G’hm – Jamie Newman 1 run (William Martin kick)
EB – Nikita Owens 1 run (Jesus Ramos kick)
G’hm – Daniel Graves 59 run (Martin kick)
EB – Xavia McDowell 10 run (Ramos kick)
EB – Kyle Tatum 13 run (Ramos kick)
G’hm – Newman 1 run (Martin kick)
EB – McDowell 2 run (Ramos kick)
G’hm – Graves 6 pass from Newman (Martin kick)
EB – Sincere Smith 6 pass from Ty McMillian (Ramos kick)
G’hm – Graves 10 run (run failed)

Rushing: G’hm – Graves 13-166, Newman 11-26, Christian Leonard 1-2; EB – McDowell 18-89, Tatum 31-159, Owens 24-98, Eian Hines 4-32, McMillian 2-(-6), James Higgins 1-(-4).

Passing: G’hm- Newman 11-17-1, 131; EB – McMillian 1-3-0, 6.

Receiving: G’hm – Graves 3-70, Jordan Falls 3-15, Kiesean Charles 1-20, Cameron Thompson 1-12, Jaylen Edwards 2-7, Genorval McKeithan, Jr. 1-7; EB – Smith 1-6.

Records: Graham 4-8; East Bladen 10-2.

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